Driving theory tests are to be upgraded to include enhanced first aid questions from 2026.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is expanding the theory test question bank to include enhanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) content and add questions about automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for the first time.

The change is designed to address the UK’s low cardiac arrest survival rates by making sure more people know how to respond in emergencies.

Around 2.4 million theory tests are taken each year, with a pass rate of 45.7 per cent between July and September 2024.

Data from Resuscitation Council UK shows more than 40,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the UK each year, but at the moment, fewer than 1 in 10 people survive. However, when CPR is given and an AED used within 3 to 5 minutes of collapse, survival rates can reach 70 per cent.

The programme is a collaboration between DVSA and leading organisations including Save a Life programmes in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and Resuscitation Council UK.

James Cant, chief executive officer of Resuscitation Council UK, said: "By embedding these life-saving skills into such a widely taken assessment, we can help ensure that more people gain the knowledge and confidence to act during a cardiac arrest.

Mark Winn, DVSA chief driving examiner, said: "Part of being a safe and responsible driver is knowing what to do in an emergency – how to step in and make a real, life-saving difference.

"Learning CPR and how to use an AED is a very simple skill and adding this into the official learning resource is a great way for DVSA to support the drive to raise awareness."